The Chinese mythology reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Chinese mythology

Chinese mythology is the mythology of Chinese civilization. Many of the legends of Chinese mythology take place during the period of Sanhuangwudi.

Table of contents

1 Important mythologies and deities 2 Mythical creatures 3 Mythical places 4 See also 5 External links

Important mythologies and deities

• 盘古开天辟地 Pangu cleaves open heaven and earth -- the traditional story of the Earth's creation in Chinese mythology.
• Kua Fu -- Kua Fu chases the sun. (夸父追日)
• Three Pure Ones -- highest deities of Daoism.
• Jade Emperor -- ruler of Heaven and Earth.
• 女娲补天: Nüwa seals the broken sky using stones of seven different colours -- the patch becomes the rainbow.
• 女娲造人: Nüwa creates humanity -- the story has been retold through many Chinese cartoons.
• 仓颉造字: Cangjie creates the characterss
• 大禹治水: Great Yu regulates the courses of rivers (to control floods)
• The Eight Immortals.
• The Cowherd and Weaver Girl.
• Xi Wangmu (西王母) The Queen Mother of the west.
• Shen Yi The saviour of China. A great archer. (See note in solar deity)
• Chang E Yi's wife, moon Goddess.
• Shen Nong Inventor of agriculture.
• Zao Jun popular god of the Kitchen.
• Matsu (Tin Hau)
• Guan Yin
• Wong Tai Sin
• Sun Wukong The Monkey King from the story Journey to the West
• Guan Yu
• Gong Gong Evil water demon who crushed Mount Buzhou.
• Chi You (蚩尤 chi1you2) A war god who fought Huang Di. Inventor of metal weapons.
• Nü Ba Ancient goddess of drought.
• Zhu Rong God of fire. Defeated Gong Gong.
• Fei Lian or Feng Bo Wind God. Enemy of Shen Yi.
• Tam Kung, sea god
• Sam Po, sister of Matsu
• God of North (Bei Di, Pak Tai)
• Bi Fang (必方 bi4fang1) mythical god of fire (also write as 畢方).
• Huang Di (黃帝) fathers of medicine
• Hai Re (海若 hai3re4) god of the sea.
• Zhong Kui (鍾馗 [zhong1kui2) mythical person reputed for subjugating demons.
• Lei Gong (雷公 lei2gong0) god of thunder
• A Xiang (阿香 a4xiang1) the girl driver of the chariot of God of Thunder
• Xuan Nu (玄女 (xUan2nU3) who assisted Huang Di (黃帝) to subdue Chi Yau (蚩尤).
• Yan Luo (閻羅 yan2luo2) ruler of Hell (short from 閻魔羅社 Sanskrit Yama Raja).
• Che Kung
• Hau Wong
• Hung Shing
• Jung Kwae, or Zhong Kui
• Kam Fa
• Lung Mo
• Man Cheong
• Tou Tei, or Tou Dei
• Bi Gan, Cai Shen God of Wealth; Rides on a Tiger
• Shing Wong
• Yuk Wong
• Qi Yu
• Man Mo

Mythical creatures

• Ba She (巴蛇 ba1she2) a snake reputed to swallow elephants
• Birds:
  • Fenghuang (Chinese Phoenix)
  • Ji Guang (吉光 ji2guang1)
  • Jian (鶼 jian1) A mythical bird supposed to have only one eye and one wing: 鶼鶼 a pair of such birds dependent on each other, inseparable, hence, represent husband and wife.
  • Jing Wei (精衛) a mythical bird which tries to fill up the ocean with twigs and pebbles.
  • Shang-Yang (a rainbird)
  • Su Shuang (鷫鵊 su4shuang3) a mythical bird, also variously described as a water bird, like the crane.
  • Peng (鵬, a mythical bird of giant size and terrific flying power)
  • Qing Niao (青鳥 qing1niao3) a mythical bird, the messenger of Xi Wang Mu.
  • Zhu (a bad omen)
• Chinese dragon
  • Yinglong, a powerful servant of Huang Di.
  • Dragon King
  • Fucanglong, the treasure dragon
  • Shenlong, the rain dragon
  • Dilong, the earth dragon
  • Tianlong, the celestial dragon
• Kirin (Better: Qilin)
• Kui (夔 kui2) a mythical one legged monster.
• Kun (鯤 kun1) a mythical giant monsterous fish.
• Hopping corpse
• Fox Spirit
• Nian, the beast
• Ox heads & horse faces 牛頭馬面 messenger boy in Hell.
• Rui Shi (瑞獅)
• Tao Tie (饕餮 tao1tie4) a mythical gargoyle like figure, often found on ancient bronze vessels, representing greed.
• Xiao (魈 xiao1) A mythical mountain spirit or demon.

Mythical places

• Xuan Pu (玄圃 xUan2pu3), a mythical fairyland on Kunlun Mountain (崑崙).
• Yao Chi (瑤池 yao2chi2), abode of immortals where Xi Wang Mu lives.
• Fu Sang (扶桑 fu2sang1), a mythical island, often interpreted as Japan.
• Que Qiao (鵲橋 qUe4qiao2) the bridge formed by birds across the milky way.
• Peng lai (蓬萊 peng2lai2) the paradise, a fabled Fairy Isle on the China Sea.
• Long Men (龍門 long2men2) the dragon gate where a carp can transformed into a dragon.
• Feng Du the Chinese hell

See also

• Chinese astrology
• Religion in China
• List of deities
• I Ching

External links

• Chinese mythology at Godchecker

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